Betty Lou Helms

October 28, 1933 - April 6, 2013

Betty Lou Helms Betty Lou (Guenther) Helms, age 79 of Beaverton went home to with The Lord on April 6, 2013 after a brief illness. Mass of Christian Burial will be on Monday, April 15, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Burial will be at Willamette Memorial Park Cemetery in Albany, Oregon. Betty Lou (Guenther) Helms was born on October 28, 1933 in Crofton, NE to Casper and Anna (Hendricks) Guenther. She was one of twelve children. Betty Lou was the ninth child born and the ninth Guenther to pass away. She attended St. Rose Catholic School and Crofton High School in Crofton, NE. Betty Lou moved to Oregon in 1953 to be closer to her sister Mildred and brother, Elmer. When she first moved to Oregon, she worked in the Oregon fruit and vegetable canneries and the Oregon Department of Revenue Service. She met the love of her life in December 1959 and married Dean Helms on September 4, 1960 in Sublimity, Oregon. Dean's work with IBM transferred them to Sioux City, Iowa shortly after they got married. They lived in Sioux City for three years and IBM transferred the family back to Portland, Oregon. They raised their family in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Betty Lou received her Associates Degree at Portland Teacher's Community College (PCC) and later worked at PCC for over 20 years. Betty was active in her church ministries, golf club, quilting club and Red Hat Society. Betty Lou was known for her fabulous cooking and baking. Betty Lou is survived by her two daughters and spouses Michelle and Phil Murray of Portland, OR; Lt Col Lisa Helms Guba and Richard Guba of Annapolis, MD; four grandchildren- Kincaid Murray, Corrine Murray, Gaelen Murray and Theodore Guba; brother Norbert and wife Karen Guenther of Crofton; two sisters and spouses Eileen and Danny Crespo of Stockton, CA, Carol and Ken Prebay of Bridgeport, MI; three sister-in-laws: Hedwig Guenther of Reesville, WI; Donna Guenther of Crofton, NE and Delores Helms Carroll of Omaha, NE; one brother-in-law and his wife James and Jeanette Helms of LeMars, IA; 70 nieces and nephews and numerous great nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dean; parents, Anna and Casper Guenther ; brothers Elmer, Art, Earl, Lawrence, Norman, infant brother Richard Guenther; two sisters Mildred Schmid and JoAnn Nelson. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Alzheimer's Association; American Lung Association; Maryville Nursing Home or Hospice of the Northwest. Arrangements are in the care of Attrell’s Sherwood Funeral Chapel, A Golden Rule Funeral Home.